Automatic machine for tie plates



Nov. 9, 1937. N. F. FONER AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR TIE PLATES Filed March 15, 1935 ll Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 9, 1937. N. F. FONER AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR TIE PLATES Filed March 13, 1935 ll Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Mar/arr Nov. 9, 1937. N. F. FONER 2,998,576

AUTONATIG MACHINE FOR TIE PLATES Filed March 15, 1955 11 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENFT? .Aufn

Nov 9, 1937. N. F. FONER AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR TIE PLATES Filed March 15, 1935 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 1,2- ar/file/ INVENTOR Mi fon 5 Nov. 9, 1937. N. F. FONER AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR TIE PLATES Filed March 15, 1935 ll Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 9, 1937. N. F. FONER AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR TIE PLAT-ES 11 Sheet-Sheet 6 Filed March 13, 19 55 INVENTOR nwfl F61 4 Nov. 9, 1937. N. F. FONER 2,093,576

AUTOMATIC MACQINE FOR TIE PLATES Fil'ed March 13, 1935 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 .ET Q

- Adon F ES Nov. 9, 1937. N. F. FONER 2,098,576

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR TIE PLATES I Filed March 13, 1935 ll Sheets-Sheet 8 Nov. 9, 1937. N. F. FONER AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR TIE PLATES Filed March 13, 1935 ll Sheets-Sheet {L0 Nov. 9, 1937. N. F. FONER I 9 AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR TIE PLATES Filed March 15, 1955 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 Patented Nov. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES i- 'ATENT OFFICE 18 Claims.

This invention relates to milling machines and particularly to milling machines for operating upon continuous stock.

One object of my invention is to provide a method of and mechanism for forming metallic articles, particularly tie-plates, from a long length of stock.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine that shall be substantially automatic in in its operation of milling such articles, with provisions for variably adjusting and controlling the intervals of the various operations.

Another object of my invention is to provide a milling machine with provisions for convenient l5 disposal and removal of chips formed during the milling operation.

Other objects of my invention are to provide novel, compact and eflicient mechanical combinations and sub-combinations to establish simpie driving connections; to provide features of construction permitting ready adjustment of the machine for various operating speeds, and for machining operations upon stock of various sizes; and, general, to provide a machine that shall be relatively simple and compact in construction and operation.

I have illustrated a machine of one construction, embodying the principles of my invention, as ilin the accompanying drawings, in which F gore i is a front side elevational View of the r lating side of the milling machine;

2 is a vertical sectional view from the same operating side of the machine, showing "arts of the machine in section and parts of the achinc in elevation, and illustrates the arrangeii and disposition of the milling-cutter mechan and the manner in which the stock is fed the machine, as well as the clamping mechanism for holding the stock in place during the miliing operation;

Figure 3 is a vertical end View, partially in section and partiaiiy in elevation, of the machine shown in Fig. 2, and shows particularly the supporting structure for the milling cutter mechasm and the clamping mechanism for the plate stock that is to be machined;

Figure 4 is a plan view looking down upon the top of the machine and shows the upper driveand-cam shaft for controlling the clamping Figure is a plan view of the milling table, across the top of which the stock is fed and upon the stock is supported during the milling tion';

.. ure 6 is a horizontal sectional view through the machine, showing the arrangement and construction of the driving mechanism for the milling cutters;

Figure 7 is a vertical end view, partially in section and partially in elevation, of the forward 5 end of the machine and illustrates the arrangement of the drive mechanism for the milling cutter, and the reversing mechanism for the cutter carriage;

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view through the machine, showing the driving connections to the reversing mechanism for the cutter carriage, and the operating shaft for tightly securing the spindle housings in fixed closely adjacent positions.

Figure 9 is an elevational view of the control cam contour;

Figure 10 is a schematic view of the mechanism for tightening the cutter-spindle housings on the carriage;

Figure 11 is a front elevational view of a spacing shim;

Figure 12 is a plan view of the shim of Fig. 11; Figure 13 is a side elevation of the fin-removal attachment;

Figure 14 is an end elevation of the attachment of Fig. 13;

Figures 15 and 16 are horizontal sectional views of the two ribs of the stock taken along line i5i 5 in Fig. 13, and show the relative positions of the grinding and shaping wheels for removing the fins at the slots;

Figure 17 is a schematic view of the path of travel of a grinding wheel along the corresponding rib;

Figure 18 is a schematic view showing the path of travel of a shaping Wheel or cutter along a rib and at the slots;

Figures 19 and 20 are, respectively, plan and side views of a driving motor unit with the sup- 4 porting box for the rubber block in section;

Figures 21 to 25, inclusive, are progressive side elevations of a slot as first formed and then treated to remove the fin;

Figure 26 is a diagram of the electrical circuits for the motors and their control switches;

Figure 27 is an end elevation of a tie-plate in position on a tie, and supporting a rail; and

Figures 28, 29 and 30 are plan, side and edge Views, respectively, of a tie-plate, with a rail in position on the tie-plate in Fig. 29.

The milling machine of my invention, which I have illustrated herein, is provided to permit high speed and quantity production of articles from a long length of stock, and particularly to form tie-plates of a particular type and construction. The tie-plate is not my invention. In order to illustrate the purpose of some of the operations and movements of the machine, however, I shall briefly refer to the tie-plate for which the milling machine described herein is particularly adapted, it being understood, of'

course, that the principles of operation of the milling machine are such as to permit an ultimate degree of flexibility in the, design and application of such a machine to the formation of articles of other shapes.

In Figures 27 to 30, inclusive, a tie plate I is shown on a tie 2 to position a rail 3. The plate is secured to the tie by suitable spikes 4, and the rail is held in place by clamps 5 removably secured to, and anchored on, the tie plate I by bolts 6. l

The tie plate itself consists of a base portion I, two ribs or flanges 8 perpendicular to the base 1 and extending lengthwise of the plate. The base i is provided with four corner holes 9 for the anchoring spikes, and each rib 8 is provided with one keyhole slot [0 for receiving the heads of the bolts 6 that secure the clamps in place.

In Figure l of the drawings, the front elevation shows briefly the operators control board supporting several rheostats H, !2, l3 and I4 for respectively controlling the field-windings of direct current electric motors, to control the respective speeds of the motors, as will be explained in more detail later. A start-stop switch I5 is shown on the left-hand side of the control panel, and an emergency switch I6 to stop the entire machine in case of emergency is illustrated on the right-hand side of the operators panel.

Just above the panel may be seen three assemblies of vertical drive shafts and milling cutters 25, 2! and 22 supported thereby, which operate upon a plate of stock material 23 to perform predetermined milling operations thereon, as the stock is periodically advanced across the milling table 24.

The stock is progressively and periodically advanced, and then stopped for a sufiicientdwell or rest interval, to permit the milling operations to be performed. During such dwell the stock is positively clamped in position against movement on the milling table 24 by three pressure clamps 25, 25 and 2?, which are operated and controlled in unison by adjustable pressure arms 28 and 29, controlled by two control cams 3| and 32 mounted in similar positions on a cam shaft 33. The cam shaft 33 is driven by a variable speed motor 34 through one speed reducer 35 and a second speed reducer 36 arranged as illustrated in Figure 4. Flexible couplings 3'! are provided between the motor, the reducers and the drive shaft. Y

The cams 3i and 32 are shaped as shown in Fig. 9 to establish proper clamping and milling intervals as desired, as will be explained later, according to the speed of the drive motor 34 which is controlled from the operators control panel by the field rheostat H.

Figure 2 shows the arrangement and disposition of the vertical milling cutters below the stock, and the clamping elements above the stock to clamp the stock against movement during the dwell while the cutters are functioning to cut the 7 bolt holes in the ribs 8.

ticularly adapted to make the tie plates from long sections of stock which can be rolled and made relatively uniform in section. A high degree of uniformity in the final manufactured tieplates may thus be derived that is not so readily obtainable when the tie plates are forged.

The stock 23 is arranged to be advanced a predetermined distance and then stopped for a predetermined period of time to permit the milling operation to be performed. The advance movement of the stock is effected by a magnetized feed roll 41 which engages the ribs 8 of the stock. The magnetized feed roll 4| is operated through a reduction gear 43 by a motor 44, the speed of which is controlled by the rheostat [2 on the operators control board.

In order to procure the maximum speed of operation of the machine in milling the bolt head openings in the stock ribs 8, I provide a separate cutter for each rib and thereby limit the extent of transverse movement necessary by the carriage structure for the milling cutters. The necessary movement is thus limited to the thickness of the rib plus slightly more than the radius of the cutter.

The cutters are mounted in pairs since the stock to be machined has two ribs. Each pair or set of milling cutters consists of a front cutter assembly and a similar rear cutter assembly mounted in suitable spaced relationship according to the spacing of the ribs 8 on the stock to be machined. Each cutter assembly consists of a vertical drive shaft or spindle 50, resting upon and supported by an end-thrust or step-bearing 5|, and journalled between two bearings 52 and 53, that are fixedly mounted in an inclcsing housing 54. The vertical drive shaft carries a wormwheel 55 at its lower end which is driven by a Worm 56. The upper end of the vertical shaft 50 carries a chuck 49 within which the respective milling-cutters 2E1, 2i and 22 are held.

The milling-cutter shaft assemblies are similar in each pair. The worms which drive the wormwheels at the lower ends of the paired vertical cutter shafts are mounted upon one worm shaft, as illustrated in more detail in Figure 6. The vertical drive shafts are all driven in the same directions of rotation. The worms for the middle assembly are of reverse direction relative to those of the adjacent assemblies, because of the drive gear arrangement, as will be explained later.

The inner body structure of the housing 54, within which the vertical milling-cutter shafts are mounted, is integrally connected to two outer walls 51 and 58 by wall sections 59, but is spaced from the outer walls by two chambers '60 and GI which serve as vertical passages for the cuttings or milling chips to pass through from the stock into a receiving bucket or basket 63.

The outer surface of each outer wall 51 and 58, of each housing 54 for each pair of cutters, is provided with a channel or slot 65 and B5 to permit the entire casting or housing, that supports the milling assembly as a unit, to be mounted upon two shoulders or slide-ways on supporting side walls 61 and 68 of transversely movable carriage 69. The carriage as a complete unit is reciprocated by a cutting feed motor I20 through suitable reducing gears I22, and reversing gear connections to be described later in Figure 8. The speed of the feed motor I20 is controlled from the operators control board by the field rheostat controller Hi. In order to properly support and guide the carriage structure in its transverse reciprocating movement, the supporting carriage 69 is mounted upon four fixed driven by the gear.

horizontal shafts 14, 75, I6 and 11, two at each end of. the carriage. The carriage 69 is, in effect, a rectangular box composed of the two side walls 61 and 68 and two end bracing walls I8 and I9 which are movably supported. upon the horizontal shafts.

The carriage structure and the supporting mounting therefor are supported in position between two standard I-beams 80 and 8| disposed longitudinally of the machine in front of and behind the supporting carriage structure.

In order to control or to change and vary the spacing between the milled openings in the ribs of the stock material, the milling cutter units are arranged to be mounted in direct engagement or in spaced relation upon the supporting carriage structure 69. The spacing between the adjoining sets of cutters is controlled or provided for by one or more spacers or metal shims 82 according to the spacing required.

The shims are provided with hooks or eyes which may be removably located in the upper edges of the shims in order to permit them to be raised or lowered in position whenever the machine is to be arranged to machine the stock material for any particular dimension. When the shims are placed in position, the three sets or pairs of cutter assemblies are tightly compressed against each other, to the extent permitted by the shims, through the medium of a screw and hand-wheel assembly 84.

The screw and hand-wheel assembly 84, for tightening the housings on the carriage, consists of a shaft 85 controlled by a hand-wheel 85 to rotate a gear 8'! on the inner end of the shaft 85. The gear 87 meshes with two other gears 88 and 8% supported upon the middle housing 54. Each gear 83' and 89 is mounted on and secured to a threaded screw 9! and 92, respectively. The threaded screws 9! and 92 are right-hand and left-hand, and one end of each screw extends through threaded nuts anchored in the two outer housings. When the hand-wheel and shaft are rotated to rotate the gear 81, the gears 88 and 89 are rotated to move the outer housings towards or away from the middle housing, according to the direction of rotation of the hand-wheel. In order to provide for proper and corresponding movements of each housing when the handwheel is rotated, the threaded nuts on the outer housings are selectively positioned and anchored when the machine is first assembled.

In order to permit adjustment of the spacing between the cutter-spindle housings, the driving connections to the driving spindles are arranged to have a certain degree of flexibility between the sources of power and the driving gears for the spindles.

The driving energy for spindles is derived from a motor 53' through a gear-set 94 and sets of flexible couplings 95, 96 and 91 joined through short connecting shafts 93, 99 and I00, as shown in Fig. 6.

The gear set 94 consists of a driving gear IOI and three driven gears I02, I03 and I04, all of which are sequentially in mesh as indicated in Fig. 6. Gear IOI is fixedly mounted on its shaft I05 which is connected to the motor through a flexible coupling I 08. The shaft I05 is shown mounted on suitable bearings I01 in a housing I08, which encloses the entire gear set 94. The first driven gear I02 is mounted upon a splined driven shaft IIO that is disposed to be co-axially movable relative to the gear I02, while being The gear I02 is provided with two cylindrical shoulder extensions Hi and I I2 that serve as journals to permit the gear to be rctatably supported in suitable bearings H4, While being held against axial movement. The other two gears I03 and I04 are similarly mounted upon splined driven shafts H5 and H6, similar to the splined shaft I I0. The gears I03 and I04 are similar in. corresponding hearings. in the housing 38. The rear wall of the housing is extended and enlarged behind each of the driven splined shafts H0, H5 and M6 to provide three recesses or chambers H1, H3 and M9 to receive the inner ends of the splined. shafts when the entire carriage 69, with the driving spindles and cutters, is reciprocated- By means of the arrangement of the gear set 94 the gear I02 serves as a driver for the splined shaft H0, and also for the gear I03. The gear I03 turn serves as a driver for the splined shaft I I5 and also for the gear I 04. The gears I02 and I 04 are rotated in the same direction but the gear 503 will rotate in the opposite direction of rotation. For that reason the driving worm for the spindles in the middle housing must be reversed in direction with respect to the driving worms in I the other two housings.

By means of the two flexible couplings and the connecting shaft between them, that connect each splined drive shaft II 0, H5 and I55 to the worm for each pair of spindles in each housing, a flexible driving connection is maintained to the spindles, that readily adapts itself during the reciprocating movement of the spindle carriage. Such flexibility and ready adaptation also permit adjustment and variable spacing to be established .1

between the spindle housings without requiring any corresponding adjustment between the gears in the gear set that supply the driving power to the splined shafts.

The reciprocation of the carriage for the spindles and their housings is controlled by a re-- versible, adjustable speed motor E20, as shown in Fig. 8. The driving connection from the motor I passes through a flexible coupling iii, a worm and wormwheel speed reducer I22, and a second flexible coupling I23, to a drive shaft I24, to aworm I that engages a wormwheel I20. The drive shaft I24 is connected, through the worm I25, to a second drive shaft I2? which is connected to a second worm I28 through a flexible coupling I29. The second worm' 128 drives a wormwheel I30. The wormwheel I26 has a central axial threaded bore for receiving a threaded shaft I 3 I that is secured to the carriage 69 for the driving spindles. The gear wheel I30 is similarly provided with a threaded internal axial bore to receive a threaded shaft I32 that is also secured to the carriage for the driving spindles.

The gear wheel I26 is provided with cylindrical extensions I33 on both sides that serve as journals to support the worm wheel in suitable bearings I34 that are mounted in the housing I35 that encloses the worm-and-gear wheel unit. The rear wall of the housing I35 is provided with an extension co-axially aligned with the threaded shaft I 3| to provide a chamber to receive the inner end of the threaded shaft I3I when it is moved thereinto by the gear wheel I26.

The construction of the gear wheel I33 is similar to the construction of the gear wheel I26 and is also enclosed in a similar housing I31.

The operation of the worm and gear units I29 and I30 is controlled by the motor I20 to move the carriage and milling cutters slowly forward during the milling operation, and to return the carriage quickly to its initial starting position after the completion of the milling operation to withdraw the milling cutters from the paths of the ribs of the tie-plate stock. The reversing operation of the motor I20 is controlled by one of control cams 3I or 32.

Referring back to Figs. 2, 3 and 5, it will be seen that the milling table 24 consists of three pairs of spaced bars I 40 transversely supported on top of, and across, two parallel spaced I-beams I and I8I which serve as the main supports for the entire machine including the carriage for the cutter spindles. Each pair of bars associated with each pair of spindles is located to provide a narrow space between the bars, through which the milling cutters may be reciprocated as they cut through the ribs of the stock material to be machined. The supporting bars I40 are suitably anchored in position on the I-beams I80 and I8I by any suitable anchoring or clamping means, such as bolts HI and I42.

In orderto aid in positioning and guiding the stock material as it is moved along the table, the supporting cross bars I46 are provided with suitably located transverse slots I43 and I44 forthe reception of the ribs of the material. As a further aid in positioning the stock, the rib in slot I44 is pressed against the side wall of the slot so that the latter may act as a bracing support during the milling operation. Such pressure is established by a plurality of spring biased pressure devices I45 which are positioned to press against the front edge of the stock material, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5.

During operation, the stock is progressively and periodically advanced, and thenstopped for a dwell or rest interval during which the milling operation is performed. During such dwell, the stock is clamped in position on the table by the three pressure clamps 25, 26 and 21, which are located substantially directly above the cutting planes through which the driving spindles reciprocate.

Each pressure clamp comprises in general a V clamping shoe I56 embodying pressure sections I5I and guide sections I52 to provide further aid in properly locating the stock material. The clamping shoe is supported from a main crosshead I53 by an adjustable center post I54 and is also mechanically related to the cross head by.

two positioning pins I55 and I56 that, hold the shoe I56 in position against rotation. The positioning pins I55 and I56 are disposed in suitable passage I51 to permit free reciprocating movement of the positioning pins, when the cross head is lowered to press the clamping shoes against the stock. In order to introduce resiliency in the clamping action, while at the same time permitting a pre-adjusted and measured pressure force to be applied to the clamping shoe, four coiled springs I58 are provided between each shoe I50 and opposite portions I59 of the cross head. The shoe and the opposite portions I59 of the cross-head are provided with suitable circular recesses I60 to receive the ends of the springs and to confine the springs in proper positions. Suitable telescoping sections I6! and I62 are provided to surround and enclose the post I54, and pins I55 and I56, and the four springs I58.

The adjustment of the center post I54 controls the extent of separation or spacing between the pressure shoe I59 and the opposite portions I59 of the cross-head, in response to the separating force of'the springs I58. By means of such adjustment, the initial force of compression upon the biassing springs 58 may be adjustably set to predetermine the clamping pressure upon the stock on the table.

Each of the pressure clamps is similar in construction, and the upper portions thereof are secured to the common cross-head I53 which is held against twisting or skewing by suitable guides I55 and I56 in the end walls of the machine structure.

The cross-head is reciprocated by the two control cams 3| and 32 on the cam shaft 3-3. The pressure is impressed upon the cross-head by the two cams 3I and 32 through the two adjustable pressure arms 28 and 29. The two pressure arms 28 and 29 are adjustably connected to the cross-head I53, in order to provide for any variations occurring during adjustment of the spring tension of the biassing springs I58 against the pressure shoe I56, and in order to control the stroke of the clamping shoes rela ive to the stock.

When the cam relieves the pressure on the pressure arms. 28 and 29, the cross head is raised sufificiently to raise the pressure clamp shoes from the surface of the stock material which is being machined. By that time the spindle carriage will have been moved back to its initial position, where the cutters are out of the path of the ribs 8 and the stock material will thereupon be advanced to its next position at which the ribs are to be again machined by the cutters.

The proper positioning of the stock at each interval maybe controlled by any suitable means, and, for the sake of simplicity, I have illustrated such a device schematically as being controlled by a crank assembly I16 that is operated by the main cam shaft 33.

The positioning control for the stock material is illustrated schematically as consisting of a crank pin llI operated by the cam shaft 33 and connected through a rod I12 to one arm of a pivoted bell-crank I13, which in turn is connected through a rod I14 to one arm of a second pivoted bell-crank 15. The other arm of the bell-crank I15 controls finger I16 which serves a stop pin for the material by entering one of the milled openings in a rib of the stock material. As illustrated in Fig. 3 the positioning assembly is mounted to clear the main cross-head I5.

When the ribs are out by the milling cutters, a thin, sharp fin of metal is formed at the edge of the opening at the outgoing side of the rib. Such fin is undesirable, and, in order to remove it, I provide a fin-removing attachment I89 at theoutgoing end of the machine, for automatically removing the fins at each of the bolt holes cut into the ribs. A rough grinding wheel and a shaped finishing wheel are provided for each rib.

Each wheel is directly mounted upon the drive shaft of an associated motor I that is mounted with its axis vertical, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14. The motor frame is mounted upon and secured to one surface or cover of a telescoping box, within which is enclosed a block of resilient live rubber I31. The base of the telescoping box I83 cooperates with the cover I86 to completely enclose and confine the rubber block I81. The telescoping sections of the box are held against full opening separation by two suitably positioned bolts I89 and I90, which also serve to support the rubber enclosing box on a bracket i9I that is provided with a threaded passage I92 to permit the bracket to be adjustably positioned on a threaded vertical support I93 for vertical adjustment of the motor and its wheel.

In order to permit the rubber block in the telescoping box to be freely compressed, the bolts I89 and i953 are surrounded by telescoping bushing sections m5 and I96.

The four motors and the supporting structures for them are mounted upon a carriage 290 arranged for reciprocating movement on two parallel slide rails 2t! and 252 that are supported on a bracket underneath and parallel to the tie plate stock. The carriage Zilil is provided with a threaded nut through which a threaded lead screw 2&5 extendsto control the position and movement of the carriage longitudinally. The threaded screw 2 =5 is driven by an electrical motor 2% through suitable reduction gearing 2e? and a flexible coupling 288.

In order to effect transverse movement of each motor-supporting bracket on the carriage, to permit proper adjustment to compensate for wear of thewheels or cutters, each motor-supporting bracl; s provided with a threaded nut 2355 through WlliCh a threaded lead screw 2 extends. The lead screw 2H is operated by a handwh-eel 222 mounted at the front surface of the carriage 2% to permit such adjustment as may be necessary.

The vertical adjustment of each motor and wheel is controlled by the threaded vertical screw 553 just referred to, upon which the threaded bracket lei is mounted. The screw E93 is suitably supported in bearings M3 and 2M, mounted upon an L-shaped bracket 2| 5 resting on the carriage 2G6, and motion is imparted to the screw Hi3 through a worm and worm gear assembly 2J6 through a hand-wheel 2H and connecting shaft Zia.

Longitudinal movement of the carriage 200 and the motor thereon is eifected by means of the threaded nut 2&4 and the threaded screw 205. Transverse movement of each motor is provided by means of the threaded nut 2H3, the threaded screw 2 and the hand-wheel 2| 2; and vertical movement of each motor is effected by operation of the hand-wheel 2H, which imparts motion to the vertical screw M3 and the threaded bracket 19! which supports the rubber enclosing telescoping box upon which the motor is mounted.

The operation of the fin-removal attachment is such that the carriage supporting the grinding wheel motors moves with the tie plate stock while the latter is advanced. When the stock is halted to permit the milling operation, the carriage and the wheel driving motors move backward to their initial position. During such return movement, the grinding wheels and the shaping cutters remove the fins that had been formed upon that corresponding advanced portion of the stock.

The principle of operation of the grinding wheels and of the shaped wheels or cutters, of the fin removal attachment, is such that the large grinding wheels present a straight surface to the ribs and remove the major portion of the extending fin; and the shaped wheel or cutter is slightly biassed by the compressed rubber to engage the rib surface and to fall into each recess as the wheel reaches such recess. The shaped wheel then effects a slight undercutting or countersinking operation to remove the base of the fin at the corner of each recess. The shaped wheel 82 or I84 will normally engage the side surface of the rib material with the slight pressure of the biassing force of the compressed rubber block. Such biassing force will be insufiicient to enable the edges of the cutter to take hold, or cut into the normal surface of the rib material, due to the normal resistance of the material to the entrance of the cutter edge. When the cutter or shaped wheel reaches the milled slot, however, the area of the surface engaged by the cutter, corresponding to the contour of the fin, is sufficiently small to be within cutting power of the cutter edges as influenced by the blessing force of the compressed rubber. Thus, although the cutter is in engagement with the surface of the rib while moving relative to the rib, the cutter does no work until it actually engages the fin itself, and then cuts the fin sufficiently to remove all of the fin and to slightly undercut or countersink the rib along the contour edge of the slot.

One large grinding wheel 225 or 223 and one shaped wheel, or cutter, 222 or are provided for each rib, as shown in Figs. and 16. The large grinding wheel 22! or 223 may be adjusted to a position as close as desirable to the side surface of the associated rib in order that the wheel may remove as much of the fin as possible. The shaped wheel or cutter 22-2 or 22d is preferably positioned to rest against the side surface of the rib with some slight pressure. During operation of the fill-removing attachment, the path of travel of large grinding wheel 22f as it moves along the surface of the rib, will be practically a straight line as indicated in Fig. 17. The path of travel of the shaped wheel or cutter 222, however, will be as shown in Fig. 18, due to the blessing force of the compressed rubber blocl; which will cause the cutter to move into the slots It) in the rib.

In Figs. 21 to 25, inclusive, I have illustrated in somewhat more detail the various steps that are involved in the removal of the fin. Fig. 21 shows the bolt receiving slot ill with the fin 226 around the edges of the slot. In Fig. 22 the large grinding wheel 22! is shown moving along the side surface of the rib to remove the outwardly extending portion of the fin 225. In Fig. 23 the major portion of the fin 226 has been removed and only a small piece of the fin remains along the edges of the slot Ill. In Fig. 24 the shaped wheel or cutter 222 is shown in position to engage and to remove the small base portion of the fin that- Was left in Fig. 23. In Fig. 25 the slot it! is shown with the edges slightly undercut or countersunk to have a slightly bevelled corner 22% with the entire fin removed.

In order to provide safety control for the various motors and parts of the machine, I have interlocked the various motors and moving parts to insure proper timing of operation.

For example, the stock feed motor should not operate to advance the stock material until the cutting or milling operation has been completed and the carriage for the milling cutter has returned to its initial position. Also, the carriage for the cutters should not be advanced to cutting position until the stock has been halted and clamped against movement. Since the cam serves to control the timing of the various operations of the machine and since the speed of operation of the various parts of the machine may be adjusted, I have also provided for guarding against uncontrolled operation of the cam in case the speeds of operation of other parts of the machine may not be properly co-ordinated.

In Fig. 26 I have illustrated diagrammatically an electrical interlocking system for the control circuits of the various motors. The cam-shaft motor 34 is shown provided with a single fieldmagnct w nding 25! Which is controlled by the rheostat H on the front panel board of the machine. The stock feed motor 4| is also provided with a single field-magnet winding 252 that is controlled by the rheostat l2 on the front panel board. The cutter drive motor 93 which supplies energy to all of the cutter spindles is also provided with a single field-magnet winding 253 which is controlled by the rheostat [3 on the front panel board. The cutter feed motor I20 which governs the transverse reciprocating movement of the carriage for the cutter is provided with a field-winding 254 that is controlled by the rheostat M on the front panel board to govern the speed with which the cutters are fed as they cut through the ribs of the stock. The cutter feed motor I20 is also provided with a second field winding 255 to reverse the direction of rotation of the cutter feed motor I20 in order to return the carriage for the cutter spindles to its initial position. The field winding 255 is illustrated as being controlled by an additional rheostat 25% which is not illustrated as being available at the front of the machine, since such high speed returning movement will be entirely independent of the speeds which the operator may desire in the other motors.

In order to procure the desired timing control, one of the cam elements which controls the mechanical movement of the pressure clamps, may also be employed to control the switches for the motor circuits. Alternatively, the stop mechanism 10 which has been illustrated schematically as being controlled by the camshaft, may be employed to control the operation of the switches for the motor circuits. For the sake of simplicity and clearness, I have not illustrated the mechanical application of the switch devices to the machine, since they may readily be applied when the machine is assembled, to provide such timing control as may be desired for safety interlocking purposes. fore illustrated merely diagramatically the manner in which the various circuits may be controlled by the switch devices, which latter may be located at appropriate places with respect to cooperating parts of the machine to procure the desired safety functions.

As shown in the diagram in Fig. 26, the circuit from the negative conductor to the cam-shaft motor 35 is controlled by a switch 260 located to be operated by one of the cams just slightly before the stop mechanism I10 is operated to release the stock material 23 for further advance movement.

The purpose of this switch 260 is to open the circuit of the cam shaft motor if the spindle carriage has not completed its entire forward movement and return movement back to its initial position.

The carriage is illustrated schematically by the rectangle 69 in the diagram. In its initial position, the carriage 69 closes switch 262 and a cooperating switch 253 to their respective closed positions against the biasing tension of an opening spring 264 which serves to open the switches 262 and 263, when the carriage 69 moves from its initial forward position. While the carriage is in its initial position with the cutters out of the path of the ribs with the stock material, the switch 26l is closed and a co-operating mechanically connected switch 265 is also closed. When the carriage moves the spindles into engagement with the ribs and carries the spindles through the cutting operation to form the slots in the ribs, the carriage moves a normally open switch 266 to its I have thereclosed position through a lost motion arm 261. The switch 265, when closed, engages and opens the switches 2E5l and 255 against the biassing force of a closing spring 268. The switch 266 is preferably an over-center type switch, and will remain closed, when moved to the closed position by the operating arm 2'31, until the arm 251 is moved to open the switch 265, by the carriage 69 when it moves to its initial position.

Thus, while the carriage is in its initial position, switches 26! and 262 are closed and connected in series to bridge the switch When the cam opens switch 258, the circuit of the cam operating motor remains closed and the motor continues to'operate the cam, and actuates the stop to release the stock material, and closes the circuit of the stock feed motor which then advances the stock material by means of the magnetized feed roll 4! If the carriage should be out of its initial position, either on its way forward through the cutting operation or on its way back to its initial position, the circuit of the cam-operating motor will be opened at the switch 26% and also through the bridging circuit including the circuits 25! and 262. Consequently the cam-shaft motor will be tie-energized, and will be prevented from moving the cam further until the carriage 69 may be returned to its initial position.

When the stock mechanism is operated to release the stock material, the stop mechanism will u operate a switch 21 to close a switch 21! and will open a switch 212. The closure of switch 21! completes the circuit to the stock feed motor -':-i from the negative terminal of the control circuit through the switch 263, that is closed when 7 the carriage 69 is in its initial position. Thus if the carriage 69 is away from its initial position, the circuit to the stock feed motor is open and the motor remains de-energized. The motor will operate, however, to feed the stock as long as the carriage is in its initial position.

When the stock material has been advanced the predetermined distance desired, the stop mechanism is operated to stop the material and to open the circuit of the the switch 21%. Switch 21! is then open and switch 212 is closed. The closure of switch 212 completes the circuit to the cutter feed motor I20, which advances the carriage transversely across the stock material, until the carriage reaches the extreme advance position predetermined for its movement. At that point the arm 251 closes switch 266 and opens switches 25! and 255. Switch 265 serves as a limit switch which opens the circuit of the cutter feed motor. The

switch 266 simultaneously sets up the circuit for the reverse field winding 265 which energizes the cutter feed motor to return the carriage 69 to its initial positon. Switches 262 and 263 are thereupon closed, switch 266 opened, and switches 26I and 265 released to permit them to be reclosed by the biassing spring 268.

While the stock is stationary and the cutting operation is being performed by the movement of the carriage, the main motor 288 of the fin-removal attachment is energized to move the carriage with the grinding wheel motors through the forward and return motions to remove the fins from the ribs. The stock is stationary long enough to permit the fin-removal carriage to complete its travel in both directions and to return to its initial starting point. The limit of movement of the fin-removal carriage may be controlled by suitably placed limit switches.

I have not illustrated the lubricating system stock feed motor by means of for the machine since it may be applied as may be most convenient. The cutting lubricant may be collected in the sump below the machine and circulated by a pump. Such cutting lubricant will aid to wash the chips down into the collecting basket underneath the cutter carriage. When the baskets are pulled out to permit the chips to be removed, any excess lubricating fluid may be withdrawn from the basket at the side sumps 245i and 2 before the baskets are re moved to be emptied.

The various features embodied in the auto matic machine which I have described are thus:

A unit control panel where the operator may quickly control any motor to vary the operating conditions and speeds;

The sequence of operations is definitely and positively controlled;

The work is held clamped during the cutting operation;

The clamping force is adjustable;

The clamping stroke is adjustable;

The cutting operation is accomplished in a confined space and the movement of the chips limited;

The chips are collected for easy and quick removal;

The movement of the milling cutters is limited.

minimum possible travel, and they return to initial starting position before each succeeding advance of the stock material;

The return movement of the carriage helps to clear the passage of chips;

The cutter spindle housings are adjustably positioned on the carriage to permit diiferent sized tie-plates to be made;

The fin-removal attachment removes the fins before the tie-plates are severed from the stock, so that no additional handling except for corner spike holes is necessary.

When a new length of stock is started in the machine it should preferably be started at the middle cutters. The cam and feed control are set to advance the stock a distance equivalent to three tie-plate lengths. The cutters are spaced or separated two tie-plate lengths, the spacing being adjustable by means of the shims according to the length of tie-plate desired. Thus, when a new length is so started in the machine the crop-end loss is limited.

In view of the short traverse necessary for the entire carriage, the operating cycle may be made relatively short, as, for example, about twenty-four seconds.

My invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement illustrated, since they may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A milling machine comprising a table, means for feeding stock across the table, a cutter assembly including a plurality of sets of cutters for performing a plurality of cutting operations simultaneously and a movable carriage therefor,

means for periodically advancing the stock, means for periodically clamping the stock on the table, and means for moving the cutter assembly to engage the stock during a dwell of the stock, and manually adjustable means for automatically and sequentially controlling said means.

2. A milling machine comprising a table, means for feeding stock across the table, a cutter assembly including a plurality of sets of cutters for performing a plurality of cutting operations simultaneously and a movable carriage therefor, means for periodically advancing the stock, means for periodically clamp-ing the stock on the table and means for moving the cutter assembly to engage the stock during a dwell of the stock, and manually adjustable timing means for controlling the frequency of advance and the durationof the dwell periods between advances.

3. A milling machine comprising a table, mo-

tor-driven means for feeding stock across the table, a milling-cutter assembly, a motor for rotating the cutters, a motor for controlling the feed movement of the cutter assembly to engage the stock, a timing cam for controlling the cycle of stock advance and dwell and the proper sequence of cutting feed, and means for controlling the several motors all of said means being located at one place to be subject to the control of the machine operator.

4. A milling machine comprising a table for supporting stock material to be machined, means for feeding the stock material across the table, a plurality of milling-cutter units mounted upon a movable carriage and arranged for transverse movement relative to the direction of the feeding of the stock material and operative to perform several similar cutting operations simultaneously, means for variably spacing the milling-cutter units, and means for controlling the time and sequence of the cutting and feeding operations.

5. A milling machine for performing milling operations on a continued strip of stock material as a step in the manufacture of tie plates of predetermined size and shape from such material, said machine comprising a table for supporting the stock material, means for feeding the stock material across the table, guide means for restricting the material to a predetermined position during its movement across the table, clamping means for holding the material against displacement during the dwell periods for successive advance movements of the material, adjustable timing means for controlling the direction and frequency of the operating cycle including the advance movement and the dwell period, and a plurality of milling-cutters mounted and controlled to engage the stock material during the dwell periods, and means for controlling the speed of rotation and the speed of feed of the milling cutters.

6. In a milling machine of the character described, a milling cutter assembly comprising a plurality of cutter units, a housing for each cutter unit, a carriage for supporting and moving the cutter housings, and means for reciprocating the carriage with the cutter units, in which the reciprocating means for the carriage consists of a threaded screw secured to the carriage, a floating wormwheel on the threaded screw, a stationary supporting bearing for the worm wheel, and a worm for rotating the worm wheel.

'7. In a machine of the character described, a table, means for feeding stock material across the table, means for periodically clamping the material against movement and means for shaping the material, and a timing cam for controlling the clamping means and shaped to establish a gradual starting and releasing pressure with a maximum pressure during the entire shaping action.

8. In a machine of the character described, a plurality of driving spindles, a gear set consist ing of a plurality of meshed driven gears, a driving gear meshed with one of the gears of said set to supply driving power thereto, and a drive shaft connection from each of the driven gears to one of said spindles, whereby a driven. gear of the gear set supplies driving energy to its own shaft and transmits driving energy to the next gear in the train.

9. A machine as in claim 8, having a worm drive connection between each drive shaft and each spindle, with alternate worms reversed to establish uniform direction of drive of the several spindles.

10. A milling machine of the character described, comprising a. table, means for feeding stock across the table, a cutter assembly and a movable carriage therefor including a plurality of cutters longitudinally spaced parallel to the direction of feed, means for periodically moving the cutters to engage the stock, and a plurality of clamping shoes to clamp the stock in the plane of transverse movement of the cutters.

11. A machine for removing a metal fin formed in a piece of metal by a previous machining operation, comprising a roughing wheel for removing the major part of the fin to substantially its base, and a finishing wheel having a contour corresponding substantially to the contour of the fin for removing the portion of the fin not removed by the roughing wheel.

12. A machine for removing a metal fin formed in a piece of metal by a previous machining operation, comprising a roughing tool for removing a major part of the fin, a finishing tool for'removing the balance of the fin, means for supporting the roughing tool in fixed position during its movement relative to the fin, and means for supporting the finishing tool to permit a slight approach movement of the tool toward the fin during the finishing fin cutting operation.

13. A machine for removing a metal fin formed in a piece of metal by a previous machining operation, comprising a motor driven tool to en gage the fin, a support for the motor, and a resilient means between the motor and the support for introducing a biassing action to force the tool against the fin.

14. A machine for removing a metal fin formed in a piece of metal by a previous machining operation, comprising a roughing wheel for removing a major part of the fin by a transverse shearing operation, and a finishing wheel for cutting the fin by a movement into the fin in the direction of the fin.

15. A machine for removing a metal fin formed in a piece of metal by a previous machining operation, comprising a roughing tool for removing a major part of the fin, a finishing tool for removing the balance of the fin, means for supporting the roughing tool in fixed position during its movement relative to the fin, and means for supporting the finishing tool to permit a slight approach movement of the tool toward the fin during the finishing fin-cutting operation.

16. A machine for removing a metal fin formed in a piece of metal by a previous machining operation, comprising a motor-driven tool to engage the fin, a support for the motor, and a resilient means between the motor and the support for introducing a biassing action to force the tool against the fin.

17. A machine for removing a metal fin formed in a piece of metal by a previous machining operation, comprising a motor-driven tool, a support for the motor and tool, and a resilient means between the support and the motor to press the tool against the fin. with slightly greater effect than against solid metal adjoining the fin.

18. A tool as described in claim 17, with means for adjustably positioning the tool against stock material to be dressed thereby, to compensate for wear of the tool edges.

NEWTON F. FONER. 

